Power clothes-press.



E. MUNDY.

POWER CLOTHES PRESS. APPLICATION FILED FEB. 12,1916.

1,205,654. 7 Patented Nova 21, 1916.

2- SHEETSSHEET I- 5 'Mandy l ubtneooeo E. MUNDY.

POWER CLOTHES PRESS.

APPLICATION nuzn FEB. 12,1916.

1,205,654. Patented Nov. 21, 1916.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

wii'wwoeo M1172 UNITED sTATEs rnTENT OFFICE.

EDMUND MUNDY, OF DENTON, TEXAS, ASSIGNOR OF ON E-TI-IIRD T0 EMMETT O. HAYES AND ONE-THIRD TO DANIEL O. BYRNES, BOTH 0F KRUM, TEXAS.

POWER CLOTHES-PRESS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed February '12, 1916. Serial No. 77,983.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDMUND MUNDY, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at Denton, in the county of Denton and State of Texas, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Power Clothes-Presses, of which the following is a specification, reference beinghad therein to the accompanying drawing.

This invention relates to a power clothes press and has for its principal object the production of a manually operated clothes press which is provided with a self-heating iron and a self-sprayer for dampening the pressing cloth whereby when the iron is swung into engagement with the cloth it will steam press the garment which is carried upon the ironing board. I

Another object of this invention is the production of a power clothes press which is so constructed that after the pressure has been relieved from the foot pedal the iron and pressing cloth will then move upwardly from the ironing board, the iron moving also from engagement with the cloth so as to prevent the cloth from being burnt.

Another object of this invention is the production of a simple and efficient means for securing a cloth upon a spraying pipe, this pipe being adapted to intermittently discharge water upon the cloth for dampening the same.

Another object of this invention is the production of a ower clothes press in which simple and efliclent connecting means have been provided so as to positively swing the cloth and iron into engagement with the garmentto be pressedafter which when released the connections will automatically swing the iron and pressing cloth upwardly from the ironing board.

With these and other objects in view this invention consists of certain novel combinations, constructions, and arrangements of parts as will be hereinafter fully'described and claimed.

in the accompanying drawings: Figure 1 is a side elevation of the power clothes press as constrluzted in accordance with this in vention. Fig. 2 is a rear elevation of the power clothes press. Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the pressing cloth and the supporting i'rame therefor. Fi 4 is a section taken on the line 4---4 of Fig. 3, looking in the direction of the arrows.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary sectional view partly in elevation of the iron and the pivoted arm thereof,

illustrating the manner in which the iron is connected to the arm. Fig. 6 is a fragmentary side elevation of the iron, illustrating the manner in which the auxiliary Water tank is carried upon the iron. Fig. 7 is a detail perspective view of the pivoted support for the pressing cloth frame. Fig. 8 is a sectional View through the auxiliary water tank. Fig. 9 is a detail fragmentary perspective view of a portion of the spraying pipe used in connection with the pressing cloth. Fig. 10 is a fragmentary sectional view through a portion of the device,- illustrating the same partly in elevation and showing the manner in which the pivoted frame for the pressing cloth is urged upwardly or downwardly. Fig. 11 is a side elevation, partly in section, illustrating the manner in which the ironing board is supported.

Referring to the accompanying drawing by numerals it will be seen that the power clothes press may be mounted upon an ordinary platform 1, having the supports 2 if so desired, although it is, of course, obvious that the clothes press may be positioned upon any suitable support. The corner standards 3 have feet 4 extending from their lower ends which may be secured'by the securing members 5 to the platform 1. The top 6 is mounted upon the upper ends of the standards 3 so as to allow the device to constitute a table. The end braces 7 are positioned upon the standards 3 for reinforcing the same, while the reinforcing strip 8 extends longitudinally between the standards 3, as shown clearly in Fig. 2. The rearwardly extending strips 9 are carried by the standards 3 adjacent their upper ends so as to extend rearwardly therefrom, as clearly disclosed in Fig. 1, so as to carry upon their outer ends the strip 10. The diagonal brace bars ll'extend from the strips 9 and have their lower angular ends 12 secured by the securing members 13 to the rear standards 3. The vertical supporting bars 14: are carried by the strip 10 mounted upon the rearwardly extending strips 9, as clearly shown in Figs. 1 and 2. These bars are retained in position by the rivets or bolts 15 so as to be retained at all times in parallel spaccdrelation relative. to each other.

The lever 16, having the foot pedal 17 at Patented Nov. 21, 1916.

. pedal 17 its outer end is pivotally mounted upon the rod 18 carried by the lower ends of the vertical bars 14. The spacing collars 19, are carried upon each side of the rear end of the lever 16 of the rod 18 thereby retaining the lever 16 in a central position between the two vertical bars 14. In this manner it will be seen that the lever 16 is pivotally supported so as to swing freely upon the rod 18. The connecting shaft 20 passes through the lever 16 adjacent the pivoted end thereof, as shown clearly in Figs. 1 and 2, and has a coiled spring 21 mounted thereon and bearing upon the lever 16. This coiled spring 21 is retained-'in position by means of the nut 22, while the shaft 20 extends upwardly to a point adjacent the upper ends of the vertical bars 14.

The parallel arms 23 are connected together by means of the link 24, through which the upper end of the shaft 20 passes.

This shaft is provided with a head 25,

thereby preventing the accidental displacement of the shaft from engagement with the link 24. The rear ends of the arms 23 carry the pivot rod 26, which passes through the vertical bars 14 adjacent their upper ends. The spacing collars 27 are positioned upon the rod 26 fitting within the rods 14 and also upon the side portions thereof, as clearly shown in Fig. 2, thus retaining the arms 23 in their correct parallel relation, These arms 23 extend for a distance beyond the rear portions of the bars 14 and have the coiled springs 28 secured thereto by means of the connecting eyes 29. The brackets 30 are mounted upon the rear portions of the vertical bars 14 and have their eyes 31 secured to the lower ends of the coiled springs 28. Thus it will be seen that the tension of the coiled springs 28 will be pulling downwardly upon the rear ends of the arms 23, thus urging the forward ends of these arms upwardly. By this action it will be seen that the shaft 20 will be normally pulled upwardly, thus retaining the foot in an elevated position. It is, of course, obvious that when pressure is brought to bear upon the foot pedal 17 the forward end of the lever 16 will be urged downwardly, thereby causing the shaft 20 to be pulled downwardly for lowering the forward ends of the arms 23 against the tension of the springs 28. It is, of course obvious that the function of the spring 21 carried upon the lower end of the shaft 20 is to constitute a shock absorber for preventing an unnecessary jar when the shaft 20 is moved downwardly to its lowest degree. It is, of course, obvious that if so desired the springs 29 maybe provided with any desired adjusting means for the purpose of adjusting their tension without departing from the spirit of the present invention.

The iron 32 may be provided with a gasolene tank 33 and a valve member 34 so as to allow the gasolene to be fed into any suitable burner, said burner not being deemed necessary to be herein disclosed, so that the iron 32 may be heated. This iron is provided with a pair of spacing necks 34 extending therefrom so as to allow 'the headed screws 35 to pass through the forward ends of the arms 23 and into the necks 34'for positively retaining the iron 32 upon the forward ends of the arms 23. It is, of course, obvious that as the forward ends of the arms 23 are swung downwardly by the action of the lever 16 and the shaft 20, the iron 32 will in turn be moved downwardly. The table top 6 is provided with an opening 36 into which the reduced end 37 of the block 38 is adapted to fit. The ironing board 39 is mounted upon the upper end of the block 38 so that this ironing board will be carried at a distance above the upper portions of the table top, although it will be carried in direct alinement with the iron so that when the iron is swung downwardly and a garment is placed upon the ironing board it may be pressed.

The fingers 40 have openings 41 at their rear ends so as to allow the pivot rod 42 carried by the bars 14 to pass therethrough. The pivot rod 42 is also provided with spacing collars 27 for properly spacing the fingers 40 upon the rod 42. A cleat 43 is r veted, as shown at 44, to the upper portrons of the fingers 40 and is provided with a. central neck 45 in which there is formed an opening 46. The shaft 20 passes through the opening 46, as clearly shown in Fig. 10, and has a coiled spring 47 mounted thereon. This coiled spring has a hooked lower end 48 which engages the neck 45, as shown at 49. The upper end of the spring 47 is provided with a hooked end 48, which engages the collar 50 fixedly mounted upon the shaft 20. Therefore, as the shaft is normally retained in an elevated position it will be seen that the forward ends of the fingers 40 will also be retained in an elevated position since the spring 47 is secured to both the collar 50 and the neck 45, thus exerting an upward pressure upon the forward ends of the fingers by means of the cleat 43. \Vhen, however, the rod moves downwardly it will be seen that by gravitv the forward ends of the fingers will be urged downwardly, while the spring 47 will also exert a downward pressure upon the fingers bvmeans of the cleat 43. The spraying pipe 51 is provided with a pair of parallel extending ears 52, which are secured to the curved forward ends of the fingers 40 by means of the securing means 53 which pass through the openings 54 of th fingers 40 and 54 of the ears 52. This spraying pipe 51 is provided with a plurality of apertures 55, as clearly shown in Fig. 4, and is pref erably rectangular in shape as shown in Fig. 3. The pressing cloth 56 is positioned upon the spraying pipe 51 and is retained in engagement therewith by means of the band 57. This band 57 conforms in contour to the outer shape of the pipe 51 and therefore, fits snugly thereon for holding the pressing cloth 56, as clearly shown in Fig. 4. This band has its end portions provided with the angularly extending lips 57 through which the clamping bolt 58 having a ,nut 58, passes so as to positively clamp the band 57 upon the pressing cloth 56 and the spraying pipe 51 for retaining these elements in engagement with each other.

If so desired, a water tank 59 having the gages 60 may be provided with an air pump 61 so as to maintain an air pressure within the tank for forcing the water therefrom. The conduit pipe 62 is connected with a rubber tube 63, which rubber tube is in turn connected with the auxiliary tank 64 mounte upon the block 65 carried by the iron 32. This auxiliary tank is provided with a partition 65 having an opening 66 therein which is normally closed by the valve plug 67. The valve stem 68 is connected to the plug 67 and has. a coiled spring 69 carried thereon, which coiled spring normally urges the valve stem 68 outwardly since it bears upon the outer portions of the tank 64 and upon the head 70 of the stem 68. As the air pressure is maintained within the main tank 59' it will be seen that the water will be forced through the conduit pipe 62 and rubber tube 63 into the tank 64 upon one side of the partition 65. When pressure is imparted to the head 70 of the valve stem 68 it will be seen that .the valve stem will be moved inwardly so as to move the valve plug 67 from the opening 66, thus allowing the water to pass into the remaining compartments of the tank 64. The rubber tube 71 is connected by the short pipe 72 to the tank 64'so as to allow the water which is discharged from the tank 64 to pass through the tube 71. This tube 71 passes around, as shown clearly in Fig. 1, to be connected in any suitable manner to the spraying pipe 51. In this manner it will be seen that the spraying'pipe will be provided with a supply of water. 'when spray the pressing;

' 7 cause the iron and pressing cloth to be ever it is desired to cloth 56. I

When this device is in use it will normally assume the positions disclosed in Figs. 1 and 2. At this time the iron 32 which is providedwith an asbestos sheet 32, although it is, of course, obvious that thisasbestos sheet may be carried upon the pressing cloth when so desired, will be carried at a distance from the pressing cloth so as to prevent the pressing cloth from being unnecessarily dried or preventing the same from being burned. This iron, as has been set forth, may be provided with any suitable heating supply. The pressure within the main tank 59 will cause the tank 64 to be filled upon one side of the partition 65 and then by opening the passageway through the tank 64 the water will be allowed to pass therefrom and around through the tube 71 to the spraying pipe 51. lVhen the water fills the spraying pipe 51 it will be discharged therefrom by means of the apertures 55 upon the pressing cloth 56, and in this manner the pressing cloth will be dampened. The garment to be pressed may cloth so that the heat of the iron will efliciently press the garment positioned upon the ironing board 39. As soon as desired the pressure may be removed from the pedal portion 17 so that the coiled spring 28 will draw downwardly upon the rear ends of the." arms 23 thus swinging the forward' ends of' the armsupwardly, which action" will in turn elevate the iron 32 and the pressing cloth to the position shown in Figs. 1 and 2, at which time the pressed garment may be removed.

From the foregoing description it will be seen that a very efficient clothes press has been provided, wherein the pressing cloth is carried in such a position as to first engage the garment to be pressedso that the iron may come into engagement with theiclotl-rpressing the same, while a very eflicient and; simple means has been provided for damper ening the pressing cloth, simply by opening the passageway through the auxiliary tank. It will further be seen that a very efiicient means has been provided for supporting the pressing cloth and holding the same taut at all times in a position to be engaged by the iron when in use. Furthermore, it will be seen that the device will very efliciently moved upwardly automatically from the pressed garment so as to be retained in a position to be used again for pressing another garment.

It is, of course, obvious that many minor changes may be made in the detail and mechanical construction of this device without departing from the spirit of the invention and it is, therefore, desired to include all such forms of the device as properly come within the scope of the invention as claimed.

\Vhat is claimed is:

1. In a power clothes press of the class described, the combination of a frame having an ironing board, a self-heating iron carried by said frame, a pressing cloth frame mounted upon said first-mentioned frame, said pressing cloth frame being adapted to carry a pressing cloth, means for supplying said pressing cloth frame with water for dampening the pressing cloth carried thereby, said pressing cloth frame being normally spaced from said iron, means for moving the pressing cloth carried by said pressing cloth frame upon a garment carried by said ironing board, at which time said iron will be swung upon said pressing cloth so as to ellicientl y press the garment.

In a clothes press of the class described, the combination of a table, vertical bars carried by said table, a lever pivotally mounted upon said vertical bars, a shaft connected to said lever, arms connected to the upper ends of said vertical bars, means for connecting the upper end of said shaft to said arms, coiled springs connected to the rear ends of said arms and to said bars, whereby the forward ends of said arms will normally be urged upwardly, an iron carried by the forward ends of said arms, an ironing board carried by said table, said lever being adapted to be swung downwardly so as to pull downwardly u on said shaft, whereby said shaft will swing the forward ends of said arms downwardly so as to swing said iron into engagement with a garment carried by said ironing board, after which said lever may be released so as to allow the tension of said springs to swing the forward ends of said arms upwardly thereby returning the iron to its normal position.

3. In a clothes press of the class described, the combination of a supporting frame, an iron mounted upon. said supporting frame, an ironing board carried by Said supporting frame, a spraying pipe, means for supporting said spraying pipe, means for retaining a pressing cloth in engagement with said spraying pipe, means for supplying said spraying pipe with water, whereby the pressing cloth may be dampened, and means for successively moving the cloth carried by said spraying pipe into engagement with said ironing board and then moving said iron into engagement with said pressing cloth, whereby a garment positioned upon said ironing board may be pressed.

4. In a clothes press of the class described, the combination of a sup orting frame having an ironing board, a stiff-heating iron carried by said frame,'a spraying pipe positioned in a plane beneath said iron, said spraying iipe being adapted to carry a pressing cloth, a band passing around the outer portions of said spraying pipe for holding the cloth in engagement therewith, means for clamping said band upon said spraying pipe for retaining the pressing cloth in engagement therewith, fingers pivotally mounted upon said frame and being secured to said spraying pipe, means for supplying said spraying pipe with water, and means for swinging said spraying pipe downwardly so as to allow the pressing cloth to engage a garment carried upon said ironing board, said last-mentioned means also being adapted to swing said iron downwardly upon the pressing cloth for pressing a garment.

5. In a clothes press of the class described, the combination of a frame havin an ironing board, an iron carried by sai frame, a tank positioned upon said iron, means for supplying said tank with water, a spraying pipe carried beneath said iron, said spraying pipe being adapted to carry a pressing cloth, a tube connecting said tank to said spraying pipe, means carried by said tank for discharging water into said tube whereby the water may be conveyed to said spraying pipe, means for successively swinging said pressing cloth downwardly and said iron downwardly, whereby said iron may engage the dampened pressing cloth so as to press a garment carried upon said ironing board.

(3. In a power clothes press of the class described, the combination of a frame having an ironing board, a self-heating iron carried by said frame, a n'essing cloth frame mounted 11 )on said rst-mentioned frame, said pressing cloth frame being adapted to carry a pressing cloth, means for supplying said pressing cloth frame with water for dampenmg the pressing cloth carried thereby, said pressing cloth frame being normally spaced from said iron, a lever pivotally mounted upon said frame, a shaft connected to said iron and said lever, means for yieldably connecting said pressing cloth frame to said shaft, whereby the pressing cloth may first be moved into engagement with said ironing board and afterward said last-mentioned means will permit said rod to continue to move so as to swing said iron upon the pressing cloth.

7. In a power clothes press of the class described, the combination of a frame having an ironing board, a self-heating iron carried by said frame, a pressing cloth frame mounted upon said first-mentioned frame, said pressing cloth frame being adapted to carry a pressing cloth, means for supplying said bressing cloth frame with water for dampening the pressing cloth carried thereby. said pressing cloth frame being normally spaced from said iron, a lever pivotally mounted upon said frame, a shaft connected to said iron and said lover, a coil spring mounted upon said pressing cloth frame said shaft passing through said spring, sui

whereby as said shaft is moved by said lever v said pressing cloth frame will swing the pressing cloth onto said ironing board, after which said coil spring will be compressed as siliidhshaft swings said iron onto the pressing 0 0t 8. In a clothes press of the class described, the combination of a table, vertical bars carried by said table, a lever pivotally mounted upon said vertical bars, a shaft connected to said lever, arms connected to the upper ends .of said vertical bars, means for connecting the upper end of said shaft to said arms, coiled springs connected to the rear ends-of 'saidarms and to said bars, whereby the forward ends of said arms will be normally urgedupwardly, an iron carried by the forward ends of said arms, an ironing board carried by said table, a pressing cloth frame having a pressing cloth interposed between said ironing board and said iron, means connecting said shaft to said pressing cloth frame, said lever being adapted to beswung downwardly so as, to pull downwardly upon said shaft, whereby said shaft will move said pressing cloth frame downwardly so as to position said pressing cloth upon said ironing board, and said shaft also swinging the forward ends of said arms downwardly thereby swinging said iron onto said pressing cloth, after which said lever may be released so as to allow the tension of said springs to swing the forward ends of said arms upwardly thereby returning the iron to its normal position and lifting said rod for elevating said pressing cloth frame and said lever.

9. In a clothes press of the class described, the combination of a supporting frame, an

'iron mounted upon said frame, an ironing board carried by said frame, a pressing cloth frame pivotally mounted upon said first-mentioned frame, said pressing cloth frame being adapted to carry a pressing cloth, means for successively 'moving the cloth carried by said pressing cloth frame into engagement with said ironing board and then moving said iron into engagement with said cloth.

- 10. In a clothes press of the clam. described, the combination of a sugporting frame, an iron mounted upon sai frame,

an ironing board carried by said frame, a

pressing cloth frame pivotally mounted upon said first-mentioned frame, said press: ing cloth frame being adapted to carry a pressing cloth, means for moistening said pressing cloth, means for successively moving the cloth carried by said pressing cloth frame into engagement with said ironing board and then moving' saidiron into engagement with said cloth.

11, In a clothes press of the class described, the combination of a supporting frame, an iron mounted upon said frame, an ironingboardcarrled by said frame, a press ing cloth "frame pivotally mounted upon said first-mentioned frame, said pressing cloth frame being-adapted to carry a press ing cloth, means for moistening said pressing cloth, means for successively moving the cloth carried bysaid pressing cloth frame into engagement with said ironing board and then moving said iron into engagement with said cloth, means for simultaneously lifting said iron and pressing cloth frame from said ironing board returning the same to elevated positions and spaced from each other. i

12. .In a clothes press of the class described, the combination of a supporting frame having an ironing board, a self-heating iron carried by said frame, a spraying pipe positioned in a plane beneath said iron, said spraying pipe being adapted to carry a pressing cloth, a band passing around the outer portions of said spraying pipe for holding the cloth in engagement therewith, means for clam ing said band upon said spraying pipe or retaining the pressing 0' 0th in engagement therewith, ears extending from the top of said spraying pipe, fingers pivotally mounted upon said frame and being secured to said ears, whereby thelouter periphery of said spraying pipe is unob-' signature.

EDMUND MUNDY. 

